Not currently on display at the V&A

Swan Lake

Poster
1993 (printed)
Artist/Maker

Anthony Crickmay, the photographer of this poster, began his career as an assistant to the Austrian portrait photographer, Lotte Meitner-Graf, who had a studio in London's Bond Street in the late 1940s. Crickmay set up his own studio in 1958 where he built up a high-profile range of sitters, including members of the royal family, and developed an international reputation as a photographer of theatre, opera, and especially dance.

In 1983 Crickmay moved his studio to a derelict coach-repair-workshop-turned-ironmongers in Fulham. As he said: 'I am infinitely capable of only seeing what I want to see. This place had practically no roof, pigeons nesting everywhere, water had flooded in. Yet I saw it as the most marvellous space for a studio'.

The ballet dancer Darcy Bussell noted:

'Of all the photographers I've worked with, Cricks has the chicest, most hi-tech studio. It has massive glass walls, and I'm able to keep checking how my body looks. We can try out things and see exactly what a particular position will look like. The thing about the way Cricks works is that he captures a movement which is the essence of ballet. I don't know how he does it. All he says is: 'Don't worry. Just do it and I'll catch it.'

Cricks's studio is one of very few in which I'm prepared to jump. It has a wonderful springy floor. It's brilliant. Some photographers have concrete or stone floors, and if they ask me to jump, I have to say no because it's much too dangerous. The other great attraction of Cricks's studio is that it's always warm. Dancers hate being cold. That's when their muscles start to seize up.'


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleSwan Lake (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Printing ink on paper
Brief description
Poster advertising the English National Ballet production of Swan Lake at the Opera House, Manchester, 8-13 March 1993. The photograph on the poster is of Agnes Oaks by Anthony Crickmay
Physical description
English National Ballet poster advertising a production of Swan Lake at the Opera House, Manchester. The photographic image on the poster is by Anthony Crickmay and shows a ballerina leaping through the air with a swan attached to her back. There is white typography on the poster stating the name of the ballet, the dates and names of the composer, designer and stager.
Dimensions
  • Height: 76cm
  • Width: 51cm
Credit line
Given by Anthony Crickmay
Summary
Anthony Crickmay, the photographer of this poster, began his career as an assistant to the Austrian portrait photographer, Lotte Meitner-Graf, who had a studio in London's Bond Street in the late 1940s. Crickmay set up his own studio in 1958 where he built up a high-profile range of sitters, including members of the royal family, and developed an international reputation as a photographer of theatre, opera, and especially dance.

In 1983 Crickmay moved his studio to a derelict coach-repair-workshop-turned-ironmongers in Fulham. As he said: 'I am infinitely capable of only seeing what I want to see. This place had practically no roof, pigeons nesting everywhere, water had flooded in. Yet I saw it as the most marvellous space for a studio'.

The ballet dancer Darcy Bussell noted:

'Of all the photographers I've worked with, Cricks has the chicest, most hi-tech studio. It has massive glass walls, and I'm able to keep checking how my body looks. We can try out things and see exactly what a particular position will look like. The thing about the way Cricks works is that he captures a movement which is the essence of ballet. I don't know how he does it. All he says is: 'Don't worry. Just do it and I'll catch it.'

Cricks's studio is one of very few in which I'm prepared to jump. It has a wonderful springy floor. It's brilliant. Some photographers have concrete or stone floors, and if they ask me to jump, I have to say no because it's much too dangerous. The other great attraction of Cricks's studio is that it's always warm. Dancers hate being cold. That's when their muscles start to seize up.'
Collection
Accession number
S.267-2011

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdMay 13, 2011
Record URL
Download as: JSON